Green books create buzz at Kolkata Book Fair

Brightly illustrated, easy to read glossy books on the basics of climate change, global warming, disaster management and environment-friendly measures are wooing children and their parents to the 38th International Kolkata Book Fair here.

Spanning a range of topics like wildlife protection, flora and fauna and sustainable development, these "green books" weave fact into fictional tales to highlight key environmental issues for children.

According to Lutfullah Syed, sales manager of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) press, their batch of books, fabricated out of recycled paper, caters mostly to children, though there are works for academics as well.

TERI Press's stall at the book fair marks its debut in the international event.

"The books are for readers in the age group of three to 15 years and deal with energy, environment and sustainable development," Syed told IANS Sunday.

"The range of subjects is wide, and so children and parents have a lot of options. Depending on what they need and what is being taught in their schools, they can choose. Most importantly, they are not boring... so they can act as reference materials," he explained.

Take, for example, the series of books under the "Green Genius's 101 Questions and Answers".

There are subjects like extremely endangered creatures, clean, green technology, earth's evolutionary past and space, among others.

Then there are "Green Guides" on pollution, ecology and landfills and a host of related issues.

New releases include the "Caring For Nature" series that deal with prominent historical figures from India who worked to preserve the environment.

NGOs such as the Nature, Environment and Wildlife Society have showcased books on the Sunderbans, the world's largest mangrove forests, and birds and animals.

Rita Chawla, mother of a six-year-old, who picked up several short stories based on nature, said: "It is an interesting concept to educate children through such illustrated books that are not like average textbooks. I hope more parents introduce their kids to such books".